Australian news, and some related international items

Another important lie of Australia’s nuclear lobby is the lie that the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor is necessary for medical purposes

Australia’s Lucas Heights nuclear reactor is touted by ANSTO (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation) as a reactor for medical purposes. But it never was primarily so. The first Hifar reactor was built in the 60s as a research reactor. The radio pharmaceuticals facility was literally tacked on at the end of the reactor.

When reviewed recently by ARPANSA, the new nuclear reactor was shown to be not up to the requirements of a commercial radio pharmaceutical facility.

The Canadian government recently decided not to replace their aging research reactor. Despite its national and international radioisotope business, this method of producing radio pharmaceuticals was just not commercially viable. Their choice is to build linear accelerators instead, for this task. (linear accelerator, at left)

As a producer of commercial radio pharmaceuticals, Australia’s nuclear reactor is unsuitable, and not commercially viable. ANSTO will claim that it is. But that means ignoring the massive tax-payer cost of the reactor, its security, and its waste disposal.

Not only more economic, but also more efficient – linear accelerators could be set up in several places, thus providing backup, and eliminating the problem of radioactive wastes.

Why then does Australia have the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor?

The answer is that it offers a “cover”, respectability, for the nuclear power and nuclear waste industries to get into this country.

The real agenda for Australia’s Lucas Heights nuclear reactor has always been to maintain an opening for the nuclear industry. With Lucas Heights and ANSTO, nuclear expertise is continued, in preparation for possible Australian nuclear power, and nuclear weapons.

The Lucas Heights nuclear reactor now functions as a support for the Australian uranium industry, and a foot in the door for an Australian nuclear waste import industry.

1.This month

Read summaries of submissions to the Senate, re the Selection process for a national radioactive waste management facility in South Australia. Each summary has a link to the full submission. Obviously the Department of Industry Innovation and Science (DIIS) was not happy with the majority of submissions opposing the process, so now are trying to get a better (for them) result

SUBMISSIONS CALLED FOR – about “Broad Community Support” for a nuclear waste dump in Kimba or Hawker, South Australia

The Department of Industry, Innovation and Science wants submissions between 1 August and 24 September 2018. People can resend the submissions already sent to the Senate Inquiry. Submissions to the department will only be made public where permission is provided.

See our page: Submissions on Radioactive Waste Code 2018/ Submissions published by ARPANSA are overwhelmingly critical, and in opposition to the Federal nuclear dump plan for rural South Australia. [not to be confused with the current SENATE INQUIRY Selection process for a national radioactive waste management facility in South Australia.]